Everything You Would Like To Know About Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus

Native to central and eastern South America, the Hyacinth
Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), or
Hyacinthine Macaw, is the largest macaw and the largest
flying parrot species in the world, though the
flightless Kakapo of New Zealand can outweigh it at up to
3.5kg. In terms of length it is larger than any other
species of parrot. While generally easily recognized, it can
be confused with the far rarer Lear's Macaw. Their
popularity as pets has taken a heavy toll on their
population in the wild. Birds in captivity fetch a price of
around $9,000-$12,000 US. Hyacinth macaws have
extremely strong beaks and it's very important to buy a cage that will hold
up to their chewing.
A large stainless steel
bird cage should be purchased.

The Hyacinth Macaw
is 100 cm (39 in) long and 1.5-2 kg (3.3-4.4
lb) in weight. The wingspan is 120-140 cm
(48-56 in). It is almost entirely blue and
has black under the wings. It has a large
black beak with bright yellow along the
sides of the lower part of the beak and also
yellow circling its eyes. The female and
male are nearly indistinguishable, although
the female is typically a bit more slender.

They have a very strong beak
for eating for its natural
foods, which include the
kernels of hard nuts and
seeds. Their strong beaks
are even able to crack
coconuts and macadamia nuts.
In addition, they eat fruits
and other vegetable matter.
Pine nuts are also one of
the most popular foods.
There are eight species of
palm that are central to
their diet.

These birds
nest in existing holes in
trees. The clutch size is
one or two eggs, although
usually only one fledgling
survives as the second egg
hatches several days after
the first, and the smaller
fledgling cannot compete
with the first born for
food. Juveniles stay with
their parents until they are
three months old. They are
mature and begin breeding at
seven years of age.

The Hyacinth
Macaw
survives
today in
three main populin South
America: In
the Pantanal
region of
Brazil, and
adjacent
eastern
Bolivia and
northeastern
Paraguay, in
the Cerrado
region of
the eastern
interior of
Brazil (Maranhão,
Piauí, Bahia,
Tocantins,
Goiás, Mato
Grosso and
Minas Gerais),
and in the
relatively
open areas
associated
with the
Tocantins
River, Xingu
River,
Tapajós
River, and
the Marajó
island in
the eastern
Amazon Basin
of Brazil.
It is
possible
that
smaller,
fragmented
populations
occur in
other areas.
It prefers
palm swamps,
woodlands,
and other
semi-open
wooded
habitats. It
usually
avoids dense
humid
forest, and
in regions
dominated by
such
habitats, it
is generally
restricted
to the edge
or
relatively
open
sections
(e.g. along
major
rivers).

The Hyacinth
Macaw is
considered
an
endangered
species due
to
over collection
for the cage
bird trade
and habitat
loss. Annual
grass fires
set by
gauchos can
destroy nest
trees, and
regions
previously
inhabited by
this macaw
are now
unsuitable
due to
cattle-ranching,
hydroelectric
power
schemes,
agriculture
and
plantations.
Locally, it
has been
hunted for
food, and
the Kayapo
Indians of
Gorotire in
south-central
Brazil use
its feathers
to make
headdresses
and other
baubles.
While
overall
greatly
reduced in
numbers, it
remains
locally
common in
the
Brazilian
Pantanal,
where a
specific
program, the

Hyacinth
Macaw
Project,
among others
involving
artificial
nests and
awareness
campaigns,
has been
initiated by
several
ecolodges,
and many
ranch-owners
now protect
the macaws
on their
land.

Further reading

BirdLife International (2004). Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 10 May 2006. Database entry includes a range map, a brief justification of why this species is endangered, and the criteria used